New York Law that Bans Dancing in Bars to Meet Its End

The century-old Cabaret Law banned dancing in every bar in New York. It sparked a wave of controversy at the time, with singers like Ray Charles and Frank Sinatra protesting it because it wouldn’t allow them to perform. Actually, this law came to be during the Prohibition, in 1926, and imposed some harsh restrictions on musicians. Even if those came and went, social dancing remained forbidden for everyone. Club owners had to work with the little they had in the hope that they would still have clients. Also, violating the law meant closing that particular place, and no owner wanted that.

However, on Tuesday, this law is expected to meet its end. Rafael Espinal, a Brooklyn councilman, will appear before the City Council with the proof that he has the 26 votes that are necessary for the law to disappear.

No more Cabaret Law in New York City

It’s interesting to note that out of 25,000 public places in New York City, only 97 have a cabaret license. The problem is that getting one is extremely difficult, takes a lot of time, money and requires the approval of many agencies. According to Espinal, bar owners still live in fear. Also, those who want to dance need to find dangerous underground places to do it.

It seems like the mayor of the city also supports repealing this law. However, the condition would be to add more security cameras and security guards in larger places. The former director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, Norman Siegel, also tried to repeal this law about ten years ago. He claimed that it violated the free speech rights of the dancers. Now, he is beyond happy that this law might finally be terminated.

Those people who want to dance always find a way, but it’s not safe for them. However, some simply believe in following what Kevin Bacon taught them with Footloose: just dance.